Anyone who's every tasted Baytril will know exactly why it's so difficult to get rats to take it.

Here's my method that works very well. You will need the following:

1: A teaspoon2: A 'ginger nut' biscuit. Leave it in the fresh air so it goes soft.3: Something to mix the meds with. I use a cheap plastic cocktail stirrer.4: Some jam. I find that Hartley's smooth raspberry jam is good as it comes in a squeezy container.

Instructions:

1: Break off a piece of the biscuit about the size of a pea.

2: Crumble it into a teaspoon and thoroughly crush it.

3: Syringe the Baytril into the crushed biscuit and mix it into a paste. In these photos I'm using Flagyl (metronidazole) as that's what Picard is on at the moment.

4: Add an equal amount of jam.

5: Mix the two thoroughly so that it's a consistent colour with no streaks. This ensures that there are no areas where the rat may encounter un-mixed medicine which would put it off finishing the dose.

6: Sit the rat on your lap on a folded towel and let it lick the mixture off the spoon. If it's anything like my boys this will be the result.

Last edited by Lew on Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:53 am; edited 1 time in total

Metacam is quite easy to get rats to take, although I've found that they won't take it neat. The best way I've found is again to use a piece of 'ginger nut' biscuit, although this time use a fresh piece rather than one that's been allowed to go soft. Just put 1-2 drops, depending on whether you're using the dog or cat version, on a piece about the size of a pea. The sweetness of the biscuit is enough to overcome the taste of the Metacam and the rat will usually eat it readily.

Thanks Lew! I'd never have tried that combination, so will give it a go!

xx

_________________Laura Woods Bongo Fury Rattery - Hobby rattery breeding for Russian varieties and Mink and Cinnamon with plans for Pearl based in the future. Based in West Cork. We are NFRS and IFRA members.

limerickrats wrote:In my experience with Ronaxan and cats, it tastes awful. I'd crush it between two spoons and then sprinkle it through (rather than on) something really smelly like mushed sardines or something sloppy that your rat really loves, like scrambled egg? The Ronaxan doesn't have to be mixed with water if she will take it sprinkled in the food.

_________________Laura Woods Bongo Fury Rattery - Hobby rattery breeding for Russian varieties and Mink and Cinnamon with plans for Pearl based in the future. Based in West Cork. We are NFRS and IFRA members.

With Jack needing medication (Galastop and prednisone, both not tasting very nice) I found the perfect solution

I got some Harrison's bird food Juvenile formula. The vet gives it to them as a post-op treat to gain strength and rats love it. I mix the medicine in and they happily lick a spoonful laced with yukkie medicine.